College History

Christian schooling has become a widespread phenomenon throughout the western world. This has arisen for many reasons, not the least of which is disenchantment with the secular humanism and materialistic bias found in many other educational systems.

People today are seeking alternatives which offer quality education consistent with deeply felt religious beliefs and which affirm traditional standards upheld in the home.

In 1979 research by the Werribee Baptist Church revealed that in addition to the foregoing, many others felt needs within the community could be met by establishing a Christian school in the area.

Accordingly, in 1980 a committee was set up to carry out all actions necessary to have a school in operation by February 1982. The College commenced in that year with 37 students from Prep to Year 7 in three classes and has grown steadily ever since.

During 1982 and 1983 the College was situated on the old Baptist Church site on Derrimut Road using portable classrooms and the church facilities. Our first group of Year 7 students were not able to continue at Heathdale in 1983 as the number was too small to be viable and registration as a secondary school had not yet been achieved.

By the end of 1983 the College had grown to 60 students, the limit for the Baptist Church site, and registration as a Junior Secondary School had been achieved.

God had prepared the way for our future, as a deposit had been put down on some land owned by the Urban Land Authority. Through one of His great miracles, the College found itself in possession of 23 acres of prime land on Derrimut Road in Werribee.

In January of 1984 the College's portable buildings were moved to our current site and others added. The College opened in its new location in February 1984 with 102 students. As each year passed, the senior class advanced another year and the Primary School increased by an additional class.

In 1988 for the first time there was a class at each year level with no composite classes and our senior year had advanced to Year 12, the College's first Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) class, which back then was known as High School Certificate (HSC).

In 1990, the Board decided to restructure the College into three sub-schools, Junior (Kindergarten to Year 4), Middle (Years 5 to 8) and Senior (Years 9 to 12). This policy was reviewed in 1999 and the decision was made to retain the three sub-school structure.

In 2012, Heathdale acquired its Melton Campus on the old Patterson Campus site of Mowbray College. It commenced as a Prep to Grade 4 campus in 2014 and will slowly build from there.

We thank God for His gracious guidance, encouragement and provision in the growth and development of the College.